Odds and ends

Here are a few afterthoughts and reflections on previous posts, and some random ideas that seem like a good idea on a Sunday morning.

Re yesterday's post, specifically the portion of the article which described Bush pretending to drive a tractor: That's actually symbolic of the last seven years, Bush acting like a little boy playing at being President. All the decisions are made by his handlers, so Bush doesn't have to worry about doing anything tough like thinking. Leaves more time for photo ops!

"Anyone who is capable of getting themselves made President should on no account be allowed to do the job." - Douglas Adams

If you haven't read "The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy" series by Douglas Adams, I highly recommend that you do so at your earliest opportunity. I mean like, drop everything and run to the bookstore or library now! One warning though - some (actually, many) portions of this series are so funny that you are likely to make a spectacle of yourself when reading this book while drinking anything. Shooting soda/milk/whatever out of your nose is a distinct possibility.

"In all affairs it's a healthy thing now and then to hang a question mark on the things you have long taken for granted." - Bertrand Russell

I had a fascinating conversation with a friend a couple of nights ago, in which we posed a question that neither of us could answer, so I'm opening that question up for discussion. The question was, why are people so reluctant and/or defensive when it comes to discussing religious beliefs, particularly their own? Our society universally acknowledges that there are three topics we shouldn't discuss in public: sex, politics and religion. Why? Yes, I know these are very personal and/or volatile topics, but still, why should they be taboo? My personal speculation is that the vast majority of people haven't really examined their own personal religious beliefs; they simply parrot what they learned in childhood. Therefore, when these beliefs are opened up for questioning, they are caught flat-footed without a good answer. Instead of admitting this, they become defensive. Of course that also begs the question, why haven't they examined their own beliefs? Laziness? Fear? I think fear is the most likely reason, because there are so many applications. Fear of finding out that the beliefs to which you gave lip-service for your whole life don't stand up to examination. The fear that religious institutions instill in us which implies "question us and you're a hellbound heretic". Fear that once you discover your religious beliefs are hollow at best, then you must face the future without the emotional life raft of religion to cling to when times get tough.

"The unexamined life is not worth living." - Socrates

Some Pope was quoted as saying "Give us a child by age seven and he's ours for life." This sends a chill down my spine. I believe that religious indoctrination at an early age is truly dangerous to the healthy development of children, because children do not have the degree of skepticism needed to withstand the brainwashing performed by organized religions. They aren't able to think abstractly and understand the concepts of sin and damnation, and often become highly fearful that any minor transgression will send them to hell. THIS ISN'T CUTE, IT'S TRAUMATIC! Why should children be terrorized and terrified into behaving appropriately? This sounds way more like child abuse to me.

"Fear is the main source of superstition, and one of the main sources of cruelty. To conquer fear is the beginning of wisdom." - Bertrand Russell

My classes begin on Tuesday. I am so looking forward to getting back into the routine of studying and to once again enlarging my perspective and opening my mind to other views! I am particularly looking forward to my Philosophy class, which will focus on Racism and Sexism. This should be a fascinating class, although it looks like this one will keep me busy. We are going to read 8 different books for this class, and fortunately one of them is one of my all-time favorites, Robert Heinlein's "Stranger In A Strange Land". Other authors we'll read are Marx, Nietzsche and Sartre. Fun!!!

"Thou art God, and I am God, and all that groks is God." - Robert Heinlein, Stranger In A Strange Land

Tomorrow is Martin Luther King Day, so I will devote tomorrow's post to a discussion of Dr. King's work and how his legacy should be honored. Yes, I'm actually planning a blog post, instead of just sitting down and typing whatever occurs to me. What a concept!

Later,
AuntieM